Cortez The Killer

NEIL YOUNG And CRAZY HORSE Released ‘ZUMA’ Album This Day 50 Years Ago

Posted on by JL

10 November 2025

NEIL YOUNG and his CRAZY HORSE released their 2nd collaborative LP
and Young‘s 7th one, named ZUMA on 10 November 1975, today 50 ago.

Zuma was the first album released after the so-called Ditch Trilogy,
consisting of the three LPs Time Fades Away, On the Beach and Tonight’s
the Night.

It wasn’t a huge commercial success.
It peaked at #25 in the US and #44 in
the UK.

All Music/William Ruhlmann wrote: “Having apparently exorcised his demons
by releasing the cathartic Tonight’s the Night, Neil Young returned to his commercial
strengths with Zuma, named after Zuma Beach in Los Angeles, where he owned
a house.

Young had abandoned the ragged, first-take approach of his previous three albums, but Crazy Horse would never be a polished act, and the music had a lively sound well-suited to the songs, which were some of the most melodic, pop-oriented tunes Young had crafted in years, though they were played with an electric-guitar-drenched rock intensity.”

Young: “It’s about the Incas and the Aztecs. It takes on another personality.
It’s like being in another civilization. It’s a lost sort of form, sort of a soul-form
that switches from history scene to history scene trying to find itself, man,
in this maze.”

Last year the record was reissued on vinyl, including 7 previously unreleased songs from the Zuma recordings sessions. For the re-issue occasion, the album was rebaptized DUNE and came in 2 LPs. Still available, right here.

KEY TRACK

ALBUM


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All NEIL YOUNG Albums

Watch NEIL YOUNG And CRAZY HORSE Play ‘CORTEZ THE KILLER’ (Adding A Missed Verse) In SAN DIEGO Last Night

Posted on by JL

25 April 2024

Last night (April 24), living legend NEIL YOUNG and his long-time compadres
CRAZY HORSE started their Love Earth Tour with a concert at San Diego’s
Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre.

The Crazy Horse line-up included guitarist Micah Nelson, stepping in for Nils
Lofgren who is currently on tour with Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band.

They opened the show with a 15-minute rendition of CORTEZ THE KILLER from
their 1976 album Zuma. It allegedly featured a missing verse that was cut from
the original recording, and recently rediscovered by Young.

I’m a huge Young fan, but I have no clue what verse he’s talking/signing about.
Do you? Anyway here’s last night’s performance thanks to fan Todd Norris.

Live in San Diego

Album version


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Full Setlist

1. Cortez The Killer
2. Cinnamon Girl
3. Scattered (Let’s Think About Livin’)
4. Don’t Cry No Tears
5. Down By The River
6. The Losing End
7. Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere
8. Powderfinger
9. Love And Only Love
10. Comes A Time
11. Heart Of Gold
12. Human Highway
13. Don’t Be Denied
14. Hey Hey, My My (Into The Black)

NEIL YOUNG And CRAZY HORSE – 1975 Album ZUMA Becomes DUME With Its Double Vinyl Reissue

Posted on by JL

6 March 2024

ZUMA was the 7th NEIL YOUNG LP recorded with Crazy Horse.

It appeared in 1975.

Neil Young told Rolling Stone back then: “I’ve got all these songs about Peru, the Aztecs
and the Incas. Time travel stuff. We’ve got one song called “Marlon Brando, John Ehrlichman, Pocahontas and Me.” I’m playing a lot of electric guitar and that’s what I like best. Two guitars, bass and drums. And it’s really flying off the ground too. Fucking unbelievable. I’ve got a bet with Elliot that it’ll be out before the end of September.

After that, we’ll probably go out on a fall tour of 3000 seaters. Me and Crazy Horse again.
I couldn’t be happier. That, combined with the bachelor life. I feel magnificent. Now is the
first time I can remember coming out of a relationship, definitely not wanting to get into another one. I’m just not looking. I’m so happy with the space I’m in right now. It’s like
spring. [laughs] I’ll sell you two bottles of it for $1.50.”

Now, almost 50 years later the classic is reissued on vinyl, including 7 previously unreleased songs from the Zuma recordings sessions. For the re-issue occasion,
the album is rebaptized DUNE and comes in 2 LPs.

Order info here.

Young: “Zuma was full of great music by Crazy Horse, but not all of it was included. Dume is a complete look at that period. When you hear Dume, you can see why some of the tracks were not released on Zuma. They have flaws here and there, but now, looking back at that time, they provide a clear picture of us playing in David Brigg’s Dume home with our tube board and analog machines. The earliest Crazy Horse versions of Ride My Llama and Powderfinger are included. Enjoy Dume, an almost complete picture of Zuma. Sedan Delivery, the only missing example of Dume, is available on Chrome Dreams, which was just released.”

Cortez The Killer is the most memorable and best-known track on Zuma.

Side A

1. Ride My Llama
2. Cortez The Killer*
3. Don’t Cry No Tears*
4. Born To Run

Side B

1. Barstool Blues*
2. Danger Bird*
3. Stupid Girl*
4. Kansas

Side C

1. Powderfinger
2. Hawaii
3. Drive Back*

Side D

1. Lookin’ For A Love*
2. Pardon My Heart*
3. Too Far Gone
4. Pocahontas
5. No One Seems To Know

Song titles in bold are the previously unreleased ones.

Neil Young Store